Chapter 11 This flavor is the most wonderful and beautiful

  That egg, about the size of a turtle's head, was cooked to a round and smooth shape, and it rolled by in an instant. What kind of egg it was didn't matter anymore, what mattered was that this egg was so humiliating, no matter how well Lao Hu had been brought up, he couldn't bear it, his face turned pale as he said:

  "Impossible, turtle eggs are usually around 5 to 10 grams, the outer layer of egg white is not coagulated protein, you can cook it for a day and it won't solidify. Besides, how big was that egg you cooked? Should be a small chicken egg, right? ... Young man, if you have an argument, don't come knocking on our door, we came from far away, what do you mean by this..."

  It means to drive the guest away, with reasonable and logical words, full of confidence. Originally, it meant to make the other party admit their mistake, but unexpectedly, the object was wrong. Lei Dapeng corrected him disdainfully: "I've told you the answer, but you don't understand. I said Wang Ba Dan (a type of egg), not Wang Ba Xia Dan (another type of egg). It's an egg with a strong flavor, so we call it Wang Ba Dan. This Wang Ba Dan is different from what you think, and it's not just about the flavor. There's another egg inside, it's not that simple... Ah, auntie, why are you hitting me again?"

  Lei Dapeng, who was scolding, got kicked again and turned around to quarrel with his aunt, Teng Hongyu. However, he ended up getting kicked by his aunt again and was pushed aside. It turned out that Teng Hongyu had rushed out after hearing the commotion, but she arrived late. The four guests looked unhappy. Teng Hongyu, holding a plate of cold mixed horse teeth vegetables in one hand and inviting everyone with the other, said: "Please, please come inside... Don't mind this child, he's a bit foolish... Come, come, miss, please go inside."

  Teng Hongyu accompanied by a smiling face, said all the good words, easily brought everyone back into the house on the second floor. Not long after, she came out with an iron face. Lei Dapeng knew this fiery-tempered godmother and turned around to run towards the gate of the courtyard, disappearing in the blink of an eye. This move made Teng Hongyu laugh so hard that she couldn't catch her breath, and she went up to the barbecue stall, venting on her son's body, slapping him on the back of the head: "Don't bring this foolish thing back again, if you come a few more times, you'll scare all the guests away!"

  Shan Yong shrank his neck, chuckled and didn't argue with his mother. Teng Hongyu huffed a few words and turned back to the kitchen. Before long, Lei Dapeng returned with a sly look on his face, sidled up to Shan Yong and asked in a low voice: "Egg brother, was I wrong?"

  "That's right, well said. It's just a pot of crap."

  Shan Yong smiled and said, flipping the fish that had been roasted to a crispy golden brown, brushing it with oil as he spoke. This "wang ba dan" was made in his free time to treat his brothers, but unexpectedly caused trouble today. Those few people actually associated themselves with this name, and Shan Yong knew that explaining would be futile for Lei Da Peng. Sure enough, when Lei Da Peng heard Shan Yong's support, he became more energetic, pointing at the window and saying: "Those idiots don't even understand what 'wang ba dan' is, let alone pretend to be foodies. If it were up to me, I'd take your 'wang ba dan' back home for my mom to try, and after eating one, she'd ask me for more. It's really too difficult to make, if we didn't have jobs, we could just specialize in making 'wang ba dan'."

  He laughed at this, and Dan Yong looked at Lei Da Peng's disdainful expression, raised his head and laughed, picked up a small fish, sprinkled some chili peppers and cumin on it, and handed it over: "Eat."

  Here is the translation:

  Below, Lei Dapeng looked at the golden-brown fish, his eyes shining bright, and took a plate to start eating with relish. Dan Yong knew that as long as his brother had food in his mouth, he was safest. He reminded himself not to forget to flip the fish. Turning back into the kitchen, his mother was holding a dish of braised pork belly and bitter melon eggs, giving her son a helpless glance, which contained a hint of blame. The whole family relied on this small shop for a living, and whenever there were guests, they would go all out to entertain them warmly. How could they have a dispute with customers? Dan Yong comforted his mother, saying: "Mom, don't worry, I'll go up and apologize to them, guaranteeing they leave happily, that's the way it should be."

  Mom sighed, seemingly helpless and resigned. After going out, Shanyong rummaged through the food plate, picked up a large ceramic plate, and Dad Shanchangqing reminded him: "Xiaoshan, your mom's body is not good, don't make your mom angry."

  "It's okay, Dad, these people aren't drunk and being unreasonable."

  Shanyong responded, turning his head to look at his old father who was preparing to stir-fry dishes by the stove. The years of hardships had left an indelible mark on his face, a perpetual look of worry that seemed impossible to dispel, especially after the failure of the Lu Yard Wine House he had struggled to build for half his life.

  It's hard to know the difficulties without experiencing them. Every time he sees his parents having a hard time, Dan Yong has a melancholy feeling. After leaving the house and arriving at the stone pot edge, holding the spoon, Simu Xian knew that he had made trouble and said in a low voice: "Sorry, eldest brother, I didn't expect this to happen, this guy's mouth is too fast."

  He glanced at Lei Dapeng, who had already forgotten his earlier displeasure and was enthusiastically eating fish bones. Dan Yong lifted the lid, scooped out some soup, and picked up a few cooked eggs. Si Mu Xian knew that doing business in a restaurant required catering to customers, so he forced a smile and said, "Why don't I go?"

  "Your skin is thinner than mine, you can't handle this job. Watch the pot."

  Shan Yong's words were decisive, and Simu Xian couldn't argue with him. Although he was stirring the pot, Shan Lao Da's original egg dish had many layers to it, and even he couldn't explain them all at once.

  Shan Yong carried the soup and went straight into the main room, where he was pulled aside by his mother and told not to argue with the guests. Shan Yong responded with a few nods and went upstairs, knocking on the door of the second room on the second floor. When he entered, he saw four people who were chatting idly and taking photos. They looked at him with some displeasure and puzzlement in their eyes. Shan Yong smiled and asked: "Uncle, don't you recognize me? We met this morning at Zhangze Reservoir."

  Uh, Zuo Xiying suddenly saw clearly, her mouth was stuffed even though she hadn't eaten anything, and her face turned bright red from her cheeks to the roots of her ears. She hastily covered her face with her hand, as if she had accidentally exposed herself in public. Zuo Nanxia also stared at him with wide eyes, pointing at Yu Yong and frowning: "Oh, it's you! What are you doing here?"

  "It's my home." Dan Yong said with a smile.

  "Oh, that's understandable then." Zuo Nanxia nodded in understanding. This young man was indeed foolish, and if he had to blame someone, it would be himself for being too cheap, running to the door to find fault.

  "You... you and Lao Zuo know each other, ah, knowing that, how can it be like this?" Minister Xu mediated, but was awkwardly unsure of what to say next. Zuo Nan waved his hand and said: "It's nothing, you can leave now, the food is good, we won't skimp on your meal money."

  Very gentlemanly answer, very elegant, can't be too serious with country folks, right? Shan Yong smiled and said: "Old Zuo, my brother's words are a bit straightforward, but he's not wrong. A turtle egg is indeed a turtle egg, yet it's not just a turtle egg, but an egg that's harmonious in flavor with the turtle soup. And within the egg, there's another egg. My brothers and I are all gluttons, every day we think of ways to satisfy our cravings, this is something we came up with when we had nothing better to do. It wasn't intentional to make things difficult for you."

  He apologized tactfully, and Old Zuo's face looked a bit better, but Shuang Yong's words were really not pleasant to hear. One "turtle egg" on the left and one on the right sounded especially jarring. Shuang Yong knew this old man was a 100% foodie, so he brought out his killer move, smiling as he asked: "Old sir, when it comes to fine cuisine, isn't the best dish the one that suits your taste? We've spent over a week preparing this pot of ten perfect wonders. The mystery at the bottom of the stone pot is all in the egg - you wouldn't want to try some, would you?"

  Yeah, one sentence piqued the old man's curiosity, his eyes rolling around obviously, as if afraid of being deceived, sizing up Dan Yong. Those few looked at Lao Zuo, then at Dan Yong, this piqued curiosity was hooked again, at least the aroma from that big pot was absolutely not fake.

  After a brief pause, Dan Yong took the lead and put a bowl of golden clear soup on the table. The soup had several slices of ham and a few strands of mushrooms floating in it, with four egg yolks at the bottom that were almost perfectly round.

  He ladled out the soup with a spoon, serving each person a small bowl. He did it very slowly and professionally, without spilling a single drop. When he placed the bowl in front of Zuo Xiying, Shuang Yong deliberately looked at her, and when their eyes met, Zuo Xiying seemed to be scorched by his gaze and hastily avoided eye contact.

  It was truly beautiful, the skin so delicate it seemed to be on the verge of bursting, even more tender than the eggs in a soup bowl. Shan Yong silently sighed and then divided the four eggs into four dishes, as if afraid that others wouldn't eat them, he carefully cut one of the roundest ones in half and presented it to Zuo Nan with an expression inviting him to taste it.

  There are people who have a good appetite, and whenever they encounter something rare, they first observe its shape and color. This egg is cut in half, seemingly no different from a chicken egg, but upon closer inspection, the egg white appears like jade, almost transparent, while the yolk has turned into a reddish-yellow color. It's clear that it's been infused with oil. As he leans in closer, he catches a whiff of a faint, medicinal scent, and his brow furrows, as if trying to discern the flavor, or perhaps pondering in doubt. This flavor, a mix of various seasonings, yet still retains a unique, unadulterated taste that hasn't been overpowered by the seasonings - the original flavor of Wonton soup!

  Everyone watched as Lao Zu was so serious, they didn't dare to breathe loudly, even Zuo Xiying was infected by her father's serious expression, temporarily forgetting that the goods beside her had once run naked in her line of sight. However, she had a few good feelings towards this person and never looked at him straight in the eye.

  After some thought, it seems that the flavor can't be figured out. Lao Zuo simply scooped up a spoonful of soup and lightly touched it to his lips. The faint aroma slid smoothly over his tongue, clear but not lacking in richness. As he savored it, his taste buds gradually opened up, and when he closed his eyes and then opened them again, the lingering aftertaste was hard to dispel. He nodded slightly. Chinese cuisine pursues a beauty of blending flavors. The aromas of these several ingredients can all be detected, yet none of them overpower the unique aroma of the abalone, while also increasing the soup's smoothness and persistence. This is indeed a high-quality dish.

  Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, Zuo Nan took a sip of tea, held his chopsticks and finally reached for the half-cut "turtle egg", picked up a piece and put it directly into his mouth, chewed lightly, then his eyebrows moved slightly as he slowly swallowed mechanically, and then smiled.

  When everyone was puzzled, the old man burst out laughing and pointed at Shanyong: "I understand now, you've got a rural egg, but only the white is from a chicken egg, while the yolk is from a turtle egg! You've switched them up! Using a special cooking method to let both layers absorb oil, it becomes this 'turtle-chicken egg' with three flavors in two layers. Haha, adding these two dishes, it's truly a feast for the eyes and taste buds! It seems I'm the one who's ignorant... Your technique is on par with Yuanzi's 'Eight Treasures Noodles' from the Imperial Garden... Everyone, try some, today I've really opened my eyes!"

  As they spoke, several people were surprised and delighted, and unexpectedly stumbled upon a delicious dish. When asked what the "Eight Treasures Noodles" were, Zuo Nan's boastful words were not just hot air. He explained that during the Qing dynasty, in the Random Garden Food List, this Eight Treasures Noodle was made from dried chicken, fish, and shrimp, mixed with fresh bamboo shoots, fragrant mushrooms, sesame seeds, and Sichuan pepper, ground into a very fine powder. It was then mixed with scalded bamboo shoots and the broth of cooked mushrooms and shrimp, combined with refined flour to form noodles. Not only were the noodles delicious, but the noodle soup was also a tasty dish. In the Random Garden Food List, although there were many rare and exotic ingredients, this Eight Treasures Noodle was ranked first.

  As she spoke, Old Zuo still arranged for her daughter to leave a few shadows, and when the time came, the flavor of this soup was naturally endless, and after tasting those few eggs, it was indeed layered with different flavors, soaked in oil and protein, egg yolks crispy but sticky, sticky but fragrant. As she ate, she gave a thumbs up to Shan Yong, and responded with a reserved smile.

  It seems that it can be resolved. Dan Yong smiled and nodded, slowly backing out of the door, but unexpectedly, the old man became interested and beckoned him to wait, asking: "Wait a minute, young man...can you tell us how you did it? It's not easy to get the flavor into the protein without using a marinade."

  "It's a bit of trouble, but it's not difficult. First, soak it in vinegar for three to five days, and then quickly cook the egg white until it solidifies. After that, use a syringe to extract the yolk from the slightly softened egg white, replace it with turtle egg yolk, add a little turtle oil, and then cook it again until it solidifies. Remove the outer skin, soak it in turtle soup for a day and night, and then reheat it when cooking new soup. The flavor will penetrate into the egg."

  What a tedious process, listening to it makes people stunned, who would have thought that there are so many things to say about the turtle shell, Zuo Xiying listened to the introduction, with interest, but seemed to be scared off by this tedious process again, and exclaimed: "So troublesome!"

  "Eating doesn't mind being particular, drinking doesn't mind being meticulous, fragrance doesn't mind being annoying, good food isn't afraid of trouble." Shanyong said. Zuo Xiyin looked like she was taking a lesson, nodding her head, with a hint of appreciation in her eyes.

  Dan Yong smiled and nodded slightly, quietly exiting the room. As he closed the door, he saw Zuo Nan stretching out a spoon to scoop up more soup from the bowl again.

  A brief moment of awkwardness passed, and when the knocking sound came again, it was the boss's wife with a big smile on her face. Seeing that the soup plate had been emptied, everyone at the table was chatting and laughing, and Teng Hongyu also laughed and handed out a small bowl of rice to each of the four people present. Just as she put it down, Zuo Nan suppressed his curiosity for a while before asking Teng Hongyu: "Boss's wife, who was that young man just now?"

  "Not me, my son." Teng Hongyu said with a smile.

  "That soup is..." Zuo Nan was about to ask for more, but suddenly felt that opening his mouth would be impolite. Minister Xu observed his expression and immediately added, "This soup tastes really good, add another serving for me, and get a few of those... whatever they're called. Don't mention sending them, we'll pay the price."

  Everyone at the table burst out laughing, and Teng Hongyu, hearing that the guests were happy, seemed even more generous, and responded loudly: "What's the price? A few monkey kids picked up a turtle from the reservoir, what a waste of time, you guys wait a bit."

  The wind and fire went out, and soon heard a voice like singing opera shouting: "Son, send another stone pot soup to the guests on the second floor, add a few more turtle eggs."

  Shan Yong responded with a loud voice, scooped up four more and uncovered several pots of sticky rice. Being so generous in giving away food, someone got anxious. Lei Dapeng, who was roasting fish, hastily shouted: "My eggs, my eggs, they're all being given away, I haven't eaten yet!"

  This time, Simu Xian caught up quickly, afraid that this guy would cause trouble. He chased and pulled him all the way to the pot, pointing and saying: "Look, look, your eggs are all in the pot, wait for me to scoop them out for you."

  Lei Dapeng was dragged to the pot, took a look and found that there were still some left, which relieved him. He turned back to stare at Simu Xian, not stupid anymore, and stared with his eyes raised: "What do you mean my eggs are in the pot? You won't speak human language, will you? Are you trying to humiliate me?"

  He was trained to be a tiger, didn't dare to argue with his aunt and uncle, but training his younger brother was no problem. He scolded him for a few sentences, then took action himself, first scooping up the food. When Shan Yong came downstairs, Lei Ge had already filled a large bowl with meat, soup, and egg drop soup, sat by the fire, with a smoky black face that hadn't been washed or wiped, eating with relish, looking at Shan Yong with a silly grin, feeling carefree and content...